Avengers: Doomsday Cast – HUGE Problems?!

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Recently, Marvel revealed the ensemble for the upcoming film, Avengers: Doomsday. This announcement has sparked a lot of discussion among MCU fans following a five-hour live event where the names of 27 actors were displayed on chairs. The revelation of the cast members has been met with excitement, dissatisfaction, and perplexity by some. Notable Marvel Cinematic Universe veterans like Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor are returning in Doomsday, along with unexpected inclusions such as the X-Men from Fox. Many fans have criticized the roster, focusing on some notable absences, and the limited representation of women, with only five female characters featured. Despite the anticipation for the first Avengers movie since 2019’s Endgame, there are questions about the coherence of the cast in Doomsday so far.

It’s likely that more actors will join the cast of “Avengers: Doomsday” in the coming year, with some names held back as surprises until the film premieres in cinemas. However, there are currently a few doubtful choices among the cast members of “Doomsday.

The Return of (Some of) the Original Fox X-Men Actors

An intriguing twist in the lineup for “Avengers: Doomsday” is the return of some actors from the original X-Men cast from Fox. Specifically, Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Ian McKellen as Magneto, James Marsden as Cyclops, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, Kelsey Grammer as Beast, and Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler have all been confirmed for the film. Except for Stewart and Grammer, these actors will make their first appearance in an MCU title with “Avengers: Doomsday” which is set for release in 2026. The original X-Men cast members from Fox’s series who won’t be in “Doomsday” include Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Halle Berry as Storm, Famke Janssen as Jean Grey, and Anna Paquin as Rogue.

25 years have gone by since 2000’s X-Men film kickstarted Fox’s Marvel universe, and it’s hard not to wonder about the reasoning behind reuniting many of the original cast members in an MCU Avengers movie so long after their debut. It seems that their return could be a means to write them off screen, allowing new actors to step into the roles as the MCU’s X-Men, but this feels redundant, particularly given Marvel’s decision to recast the Fantastic Four in the MCU. Consequently, the involvement of the Fox X-Men in Doomsday predominantly appears to be a ploy for nostalgia.

Employing the multiverse as a means for fan service can become repetitive and unoriginal. Although the X-Men films have a devoted audience, it doesn’t necessarily mean that every enthusiast of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) will be thrilled to see them occupy precious screen time in an eagerly awaited Avengers movie. The X-Men seem misplaced in this context because the MCU has scarcely explored their corner of the comic book universe. It seems wiser for Doomsday to focus on the MCU’s veteran superheroes while the MCU develops a new crop of X-Men characters in future ventures.

The Omission of Multiple Major MCU Avengers

As a devoted movie critic, I’m thrilled to share that in the upcoming blockbuster, “Doomsday,” we’ll see familiar faces like Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson/Captain America, Letitia Wright’s Shuri/Black Panther, Winston Duke’s M’Baku, and Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang/Ant-Man join forces. However, it seems a notable absence of key heroes graces the “Doomsday” roster at present. Conspicuously missing are Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/Hulk, Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill/Star-Lord, and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange. Despite widespread anticipation, their involvement in the movie remains unconfirmed. Even more intriguing is the ongoing uncertainty regarding Chris Evans’ role in “Doomsday,” as previous reports suggested his participation, but official confirmation from Marvel is still pending.

It’s surprising and somewhat disheartening that an upcoming Avengers movie seems to leave out many key members from the main team. Fans have been anticipating seeing all of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes together again since the end of the Infinity Saga, but it appears we may not see this in the near future for Avengers: Secret Wars. Characters like Captain Marvel and Hulk haven’t been featured prominently in the MCU after the last Avengers film, while the fates of Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange, as hinted at in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, suggest a continuation is necessary. The lack of these beloved characters before the climax of the Multiverse Saga seems odd and could potentially be a misstep.

The Revelation of a Potential Thunderbolts* Spoiler

In the announcement for “Avengers: Doomsday,” it’s revealed that all the characters from the Thunderbolts team are set to appear, except one – Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster. This could mean that Taskmaster may not make it through the Thunderbolts storyline, or Marvel might be planning to remove this character from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, and Lewis Pullman as Sentry are among those who will be in “Doomsday.

Although it’s too early to say for certain, with Thunderbolts set to premiere within a month, it’s strange that Marvel seems to be indicating Taskmaster’s demise while also confirming the survival of other Thunderbolts members without anyone having seen the movie yet. This revelation noticeably lessens the suspense surrounding Thunderbolts, as the audience now essentially knows the outcomes for these anti-heroes, barring any unforeseen plot twists. It’s a pity that the Marvel Cinematic Universe appears to be phasing out the Taskmaster character as introduced in Black Widow from 2021. Despite some criticism of the MCU deviating from the character’s comic book origins, the introduction of General Dreykov’s severely traumatized daughter in Black Widow provided a fascinating alternate storyline. The MCU could benefit from further exploring Taskmaster’s narrative within the franchise rather than writing her out entirely.

Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on May 1, 2026.

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2025-03-30 01:12